Hi,

Every year I end up with the responsibility of organising the Xmas presents for our 30 staff. We've tended to stick to hampers. We have a wide range of staff, from young to old, and hampers seem to please everyone. We usually make it a mix of sweet treats that the younger ones enjoy, and cans of fizzies, to herbal teas and jars of olives etc. that the older ones like. We put the hampers together ourselves as it is far more economical to do so.

We try to be a bit creative on the container each year now. Baskets are stupidly expensive in that quantity. Last year we did a chillybin stuffed with goodies. The previous year we did a summer beach theme, with a backpack stuffed with goodies, sunscreen, t-shirt & towel.

This year we're stuck. Need to think of a novelty 'container' which will hold a hamper's worth of food, and maybe can be used again rather than thrown away.

Ideas?

Claire

Hi Claire

Wow, got me really thinking on this one! I'm not sure about what your budget for each hamper is so I've just chucked together some ideas.

Picnic backpack (one of those ones with the dining set/cutlery would be ideal) or basket and fill it with extras such as wine, bottle opener, nice glasses, nibblies, crackers, cheeseboard etc.

Fold out camper chair- put different necessities on it for camping out eg.Hat, Insect repellent, marshmallows,metal skewers for the marshmallows, wine, bottle opener, nibbles etc.

Fruit punch bowl - Fill it with different bottles of liqueurs and mixers along with a recipe for making a alcoholic fruit punch. Also add a packet of cocktail straws, umbrellas, nuts, pretzels etc.

I'll have a think and get back to you if I can think of anymore!

Cheers

RH

Do you have any jobs going??

How about cardboard File Boxes- I don't know the price but you could decorate the outside or put stckers/pens inside for the children to decorate. Go to the Plastic Centre or similar they have heaps of different containers or even the $2 shop, its amazing how you can just see the "right" thing as you wander.
Nothing really creative here but its better than nothing.

Stephanie

Lol Kerry. Yes I'd love to be employed there as well judging by the lovely thoughtful gift you recieve at Christmas

What about a Wooden Christmas Cake Tin complete with Christmas recipes or even something like the Alison Holst Christmas recipe book, instant kiwis, small bottle of wine, condiments, choccies, cheeses, etc, etc.

Gosh. Wish they all appreciated it as much! We do try, but I suppose staff can become blase about the perks. We have a fruit bowl filled weekly in the office, and a massage therapist gives a free 10 minute backrub about once a month.

Xmas is good fun. I usually manage to con one of the directors to get into a santa suit, and we have drinks and present giving on the last day before fulltime staff go on holiday. We get a lot of 'corporate gifts' from suppliers, so we stash those away throughout the year, and do a prize draw at Xmas. Sometimes people get really cool things from that, like a hamper or a bottle of wine, and sometimes it's a bit of a booby prize, like a calendar :O)

And then there's the Xmas function - try pleasing 30 staff, ranging from '20 and just wants to get boozed' to families with kids

Every year I drop heavy hints to the managing director that THIS YEAR I'd like to bought dayspa vouchers instead of giving myself one of the hamper I made, but he hasn't quite got it yet

Claire

Claire, you are running this company and don't even know it. Of course he won't take any hints you drop as he is relying on you to make it alllll happen. Give yourself a nice present for a change..do the spa voucher. Give him a big KO between the eyeballs...he won't even notice.

How times have changed. I never got any presents from my bosses at Christmas!! except a kiss and don't tell party.

Lorna...I need a big KO behind the eyeballs thanks..please.. pretty with bows on. My compoooter is a bit sozzled at present.

My Dad got a hamper (I guess thats what you'ld call it) in a plastic bucket. I know this sounds pretty strange, but it was done very creatively and it looked great with a big bow and the coloured cellophane. It was years ago (hey he's now retired), and I can't remember what was in it, but they still use the bucket as a peg bucket now. And when our kids were younger, they used to love sorting the pegs into piles of different colours, groups of numbers etc.

A bucket is sturdy enough for wine or whatever bottles you want to include too.

Last year my boss gave me a lovely hamper in a coloured cardboard box which had a fancy top part. Looked lovely, but I'm not sure about the cost. I did notice on the bottom it said it was made from recycled products, and I haven't actually seen them in the shops.


Linda.

Kerry, are you sure it's your 'puter that's a bit sozzled? Or is it me? How can I help you, my little bowl of ripe cherries?

Maybe one of those insulated wine cooler bag thingys.


(As an aside, one year as Xmas gifts we got to choose between a gift voucher to get a massage or a half dozen free tickets to the movies...)

Lorna I've never been called a little bowl of ripe cherries before. A big bowl perhaps?? A fulsome bowlfull?? Cherry pie by some well meaning American business man several thousand years ago is the closest. He's making compost now.
My Mac seems to hate doing animations - they pop up okay but don't do the business at the other end - so I know your computer is highly intelligent and would know how to give Claire's boss a big KO between the eyeballs to make him/her see sense and give her her hearts desire - a spa thingy.
Getting physical is the only way sometimes. Bring on the bazookas I say and a few doodle bugs might be helpful...no time to look for a dooble bug...

A good thought for the real serious question about containers... What about a picnic blanket or shawl or wrap or parau, tied into a Chinese cracker or Won ton and filled with spa vouchers...or a nice handbag for the ladies filled with dosh and spa vouchers or spa vouchers wrapped up as Christmas crackers containing something small and interesting like a photo of them at the last Christmas party..

Just a thought to prove my computer can still think positive..

Kerry, after I typed that sentence, I had second thoughts and wondered if people might get the wrong idea about me (hhehee) but I thought, to heck with it, that's the first thing that popped into my mind and I liked the sound of it. We all deserve to be called nice names from time to time.

Regarding the spa-bath, here are two that come close. I'm not sure if the first one is the aromo of floral bath salts or the effects of natural gas escaping, and as for the second, I couldn't quite make up my mind what was happening under the water. I'll leave that up to your imagination.



And just to keep the record straight, here are the results of the KO, but it was a little one-sided rather than right between the eyes.

How about nice wooden breakfast trays filed with some nice napkins, egg cup holders, coffee cups, some plunger coffee sachets, slection of teas, tasty jams and conserves etc etc..would be ok for young 'uns and older ones and male and female I am guessing.

Lorna, please thank your computer from the bottom of my bath tup.
No. 1 reminds me of very young stepson trying to blow bubbles the man way in the bath (why do they always look so ridiculously happy?) and leaving a whole heap more then he intended.

No.2 is what my ducks are getting up to in the meditation pond at the bottom (there's that word again) of my garden. Had to whack him repeatedly with a stick as I was sure he was trying to drown her not contribute to our joy at Easter.

No.3 Black eyes are soo cool aren't they.The next in thing I'm sure. Watch the fashionistas.

How about a box of cherries each?

Everyone loves cherries and they are such a treat.

We have cherries on the farmers market in the next few weeks.